Specs Detailed List

The purpose of this detailed list is to help you use these specs to evaluate your own work.

Project is ready for review.

  • The analysis is written with complete sentences and paragraphs (using your own words).
  • Project Instructions are followed.
  • The Project (or Project Task) is complete. This means a good faith effort evident for all parts of the Project (or Project Task)
    • Don’t turn in a project or task just to turn in the project or task. If you know the task (or project) is not done, then finish it. And submit after it is finished.
    • If the project is not complete it will be marked as “Not Ready for Review”.
      • You will not be able to submit future tasks in a project until you have submitted previous tasks ready for review.

Please use the Ready for Review quizzes in Canvas to help you check that your work is complete and Ready for Review.

A cohesive analysis is provided.

  • There should be a flow to your analysis.
    • Some synonyms for analysis as used here could include narrative, essay, or report. The presentation of a single connected work.
    • Make connections and transitions.
    • Analysis should stand alone from the project or task instructions.
  • All calculations and plots are introduced with complete sentences (and paragraphs).
    • Remember introductions come BEFORE (the calculation or plot) and tell your reader what is coming.
  • All calculations and plots are explained, interpreted, and/or described using complete sentences (and paragraphs).
    • Explanations can come before or after a calculation or plot.
    • Tell your reader what is important and what they should notice.
  • The writing in the analysis is almost free, if not entirely free, of distracting spelling or grammatical errors (incomplete sentences, subject-verb disagreement, and misuse of punctuation).

The work is reproducible.

  • Enough steps of calculations included.
    • Thinking could be traced by a beginning calculus student without access to the instructions.
  • Parameter values and functions are clearly stated in the analysis (the narrative, the writing).
    • A reader should not have to search through the code chunks, calculations, plots, or figures to find parameter values and functions being used.
  • R code is included in the html (possibly with the hide/show button).
    • The hide feature is nice because when the code is collapsed, it is a good reminder that while your code is there supporting the narrative, your code is not the analysis. You provide comment on the work done by the code (and calculations) that gives the meaning to the work.
  • Mathematica code and output included.
  • Information in narrative, plots, and calculations is consistent.

Calculations and plots are correct, or have only minor errors.

  • You can use the resources and tips provided in the Project (or Project Task) to check your work is correct. Don’t turn in a project or task just to turn in the project or task.
    • If you checked your work and you know the task (or project) is not correct, then correct it (or get help and correct your work). Submit when the work is correct.
    • If you have not checked your work, then check it and once you have checked the work (and corrected, if needed) submit.

Mathematical notation and terminology is used correctly, or with only minor errors.

  • Analysis should be written using the language and conventions of mathematics.
  • Some things to watch for include the following.
    • Computer syntax (R or Mathematica) is not the same as mathematical notation.
      • For example, scientific notation is different in R syntax and mathematical notation.
      Make sure you are writing with mathematical notation not computer syntax in the analysis. Of course, inside of code blocks use the appropriate syntax.
    • Calculations should be shown as an image of handwritten work (or TeX) not just “typed”.
      • For example, the function \(f(x) = e^{3-x}\) and not f(x) = e^(3-x), not f(x) = exp(3-x), and not f(x) = e^3-x.